Record card comparing and print enabling mechanism

ABSTRACT

Card comparing apparatus for mechanically comparing an embossed card comprising a slidable carriage having a seat for receiving a pair of cards in front to back face relationship, said cards having embossed printing thereon, and a mechanical mechanism for detecting any difference in the embossed printing. One detecting mechanism senses the difference in the combined thickness of matched cards and mismatched cards, and includes a pair of rollers spaced apart a distance sufficient to pass a pair of matched cards and to block passage of a pair of mismatched cards. Another detecting mechanism includes a pair of rollers for sliding mismatched cards in opposite directions. The embossed printing on the cards is from a printing font having printing elements which nest only with identical elements in the font and do not nest with any other elements. The embossed printing elements have rounded raised portions permitting closer nesting than embossed printing having raised portions with flat tops and side portions angled away therefrom.

United States Patent Wattenburg et al.-

[ 51 July 17, 1973 RECORD CARD COMPARING AND PRINT ENABLING MECHANISM Filed: Aug. 26, 1971 Appl. No.: 175,074

Primary ExaminerWilliam B. Penn Attorney-Smith, Harding, Earley & Follmer [57] ABSTRACT Card comparing apparatus for mechanically comparing an embossed card comprising a slidable carriage having a seat for receiving a pair of cards in front to back face relationship, said cards having embossed printing thereon, and a mechanical mechanism for detecting [52] U.S. C1 101/269, 101/1, 101/90, any difference in the embossed printing. One detecting 340/149 A, 23S/6l.1l R, 101/285 mechanism senses the difference in the combined [51] Int. Cl. B411 3/00, B4lf 1/66, 006k 9/00 thickness of matched cards and mismatched cards, and [58] Field of Search 209/80; 73/156, 159, includes a pair of rollers spaced apart a distance suffi- 73/105; l94/DIG. 6; 101/90, 269, 285, 282, cient to pass a pair of matched cards and to block pas- 283, 284, 322, 47, l, 2; 235/6l.7 B, 61.11 R; sage of a pair of mismatched cards. Another detecting 340/149 R, 149 A mechanism includes a pair of rollers for sliding mismatched cards in opposite directions/The embossed [56] References Cited printing on the cards is from a printing font having UNITED STATES PATENTS printing elements which nest only with identical ele- 2 551 468 5/1951 schm 271/57 ments in the font and do not nest with any other ele- 3 354 273 11/1967 H R ments. The embossed printing elements have rounded 314651672 9 1969 Whitfieldiilii 101 269 raised Portions Permitting closer nesting than 3,573,731 4 1971 Schwend 340/149 A bossed Priming having raised Poflkms with flat P 3,602,139 8/1971 Allport 340/149 R nd ide portions angled away therefrom. 3,627,994 12/1971 Sallach 340/149 A 3,631,535 12/1971 131111111111 340 149 A Clams, Drawing Flames r 11 as 87 T 1 i a l /'1' a9 I l 4| 4r: \21 as 1 I 1 1 I 1 l l l a 1 l kl 64 a5 77 s7 68 27 69 7o 91 A l l 71 572 731 79 6; 11111 I: it: .2. i i I as L I 'E Q l l 1' l l i Q :g i- 8: g I l l 1 75 :1: i i '1' ---54 -3- ".1

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INVENTORS WILLARD HARVEY WATTENBURG 5 JOHN P. GLASS ATTORNEYS FIG. 9

RECORD CARD COMPARING AND PRINT ENABLING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In treating patients in hospitals, the medicines, blood, and the like, to be administered to a particular patient are made up at a location in the hospital which is remote from the patient, is identified as to the patient who is to receive said medication as by attaching thereto a card which is embossed with the name and admission number of the patient, and is delivered to the floor nurse who is to administer said medication to the patient. The patient is provided with an identification card embossed with the identical information of name and admission number, and this card may be hung on a string around the patients neck. The nurse then compares the card on the medicine package with the card around the neck of the patient by visually inspecting both cards. If both cards match, she knows that this particular medicine is intended for this particular patient and proceeds to administer it.

This system has the advantage of matching the correct medicine, blood, and the like with the intended patient, even though the patient may not be able to respond to questions by the nurse because of the patient being unconscious or otherwise incapacitated.

However, this system is subject to error if, for example, two patients are in the same hospital and have the same name, or names which appear very similar with perhaps only one letter in the names being different. Of course, in such cases of the same or similar names, the different admission numbers given to the patient should serve to distinguish one patient from the other. However, such numbers may be very similar and may have just the last two numbers transposed, for example. On occasions in the past, such similarities of names and numbers have caused confusion that resulted in the wrong patient being given the wrong type of blood or medicine, and such mistakes have caused death or serious harm to the patients.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide error-free card comparing apparatus for comparing two embossed cards and finding an identity or a mismatch between them.

It is another object to prevent mistakes in matching identification cards on packages of blood, medicine, and the like, with identification cards of hospital patients.

It is another object to provide a permanent record of the fact that two cards did match, which record includes the identification information embossed on the matched cards.

This invention provides apparatus for positive matching of two embossed identification cards, similar to gasoline credit cards, by physically mating the two cards and verifying that all letters and numbers embossed on the cards are identical, without relying on human or machine reading of the information embossed on the cards.

All human or machine reading operations have a predictable error because the information on two identification cards must be read from the cards and then compared in a subsequent operation to determine whether the cards are identical or dissimilar in one or more letters or numbers on the cards. For example, the nurse must read the cards on the package of medicine or blood, then read the card on the patient, and then mentally compare the two to determine whether or not they are identical or dissimilar.

The invention involves a portable, hand-held and hand-actuated comparator machine which determines whether or not two embossed identification cards are identical, or dissimilar in one or more symbols embossed on the cards.

One embodiment of the comparator machine is designed to verify positive matching of two mated cards by measuring the physical separation of the two nested cards at all positions on the cards. Mated cards fit together with no separation over the entire surface of the cards. Non-matching cards do not.

Another embodiment of the comparator machine is designed to slide mismatched cards in opposite directions.

The cards compared by the comparator machine are embossed cards on which identification information is represented in the form of raised impressions of letters, numbers or other symbols, for example, binary digits. Standard gasoline company credit cards are examples of such cards.

The embossed printing on the cards are from a font having the characteristic that no two dissimilar symbols or font elements can be made to fit within one another so as to nest when represented in the form of raised impressions on a flat surface. That is, no two dissimilar symbols or font elements will nest one within the other.

Therefore, the font symbols or elements cannot contain a C which nests within an 0, nor an F which nests within an E", nor an I" which nests within a T, nor a P which nests within a B, nor an 0" which nests within a 0.

If one font element could nest within a dissimilar font element, the comparator machine would be subject to error.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in top plan of card comparing apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 2-2 which appear in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 33 which appear in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in top plan of a printing font used with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial view in section illustrating the combined thickness and nesting action of identical cards with conventional embossed printing;

FIG. 6 is a partial view in section illustrating the combined thickness of mismatched cards with conventional embossed printing; 7

FIG. 7 is a partial view in section illustrating the combined thickness and nesting action of identical cards with embossed printing having rounded corners in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial view in section of mismatched cards having embossed printing having rounded corners in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 9 is a view in top plan of another embodiment of card comparing apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 10 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 10-10 which appear in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown card comparing apparatus for mechanically comparing embossed cards comprising a card comparing machine 21 having a sliding carriage 23 adapted to receive a pair of cards 25, 26 in front to back face relationship, and a mechanical detecting mechanism 27 for detecting any difference in the embossed printing 29 on the cards 25, 26. Mechanical detecting mechanism 27 senses the difference in the combined thickness of matched cards and mismatched cards, the thickness of the matched cards being smaller than the thickness of the mismatched cards.

Card comparing machine 21 includes a frame 31 having a bottom wall 33 and upright side walls 35, 36 connected together by end walls 37, 38.

Guide rails 39 having longitudinal grooves 411 are mounted on the inside of side walls 35, 36.

Sliding carriage 23 includes a U-shaped base plate 43 having legs 45, 46 joined together by connecting portion 47. Recessed lips 49, 50 are formed in the facing portions of legs 45, 46 and are adapted to form a seat for the cards 25, 26. A clamp 51 extends from the end of connecting portion 47 of carriage base plate 43 and is to receive the side edge of cards 25, 26 which are inserted thereunder and then dropped into the seat formed by lips 49, 50 to be thereby held securely during the operation of the card comparing machine 2K.

The side edges of carriage legs 45, 46 ride in grooves 41 of guide rails 39.

Racks 53, 54 having depending teeth are mounted beneath carriage legs 45, 46 and ends 55, 56 form a stop against frame end wall 38 to limit travel of carriage 23 in that direction.

A transverse shaft 57 is mounted between side walls 35, 36 and includes pinions 59, 60 having teeth which mesh with the teeth of racks 53, 54 to move sliding carriage 23 along guide rails 39. A roller 61 is mounted on shaft 57 and is adapted to contact the bottom face of the bottom card in carriage 23.

Another transverse shaft 63 is mounted between side walls 35, 36 above shaft 57 and has mounted thereon a roller 65 having large diameter sections 67-70 alternating with reduced diameter sections 72-73. Large diameter sections 67-70 are adapted to contact the nonprinted portion of a properly nested pair of cards, and reduced diameter sections 71-73 are adapted to pass the embossed printed portions of properly nested cards.

A knob 75 is mounted on one end of shaft 63 by means of a unidirectional slip clutch 77 having one portion 79 mounted on shaft 63 and another portion 811 mounted on knob 75 with clutch faces 83 and 841 being normally in frictional contact with each other.

An electrical switch 85, such as a microswitch, having an arm 87 and roller 89 is adapted to be contacted by end 91 of rack 54 as the carriage 23 approaches end wall 37. Switch 85 may be used to set off an alarm, such as an electric light bulb, that indicates that the cards being tested were perfectly matched.

Cards 25, 26 are similarly constructed with top edge 93, bottom edge 94, side edge 95, front face 96 and back face 97. However, side edge 98 of card 26, which may be the master card, is different from card 25 in that it has a bottom corner cut off so that portion of the card is defined by an edge 99.

Also, side edge 1101 of card 25 is different in that it has a top corner cut off and defined by an edge 103.

The missing comers of the cards form part of the mechanism for preventing operation of the card comparing machine if only one card is inserted therein. If only one card is inserted in the carriage 23, one of the pins 105, 1106 remains above the level of carriage plate 43 and blocks the movement of the carriage toward end wall 37. Pins 105, 106 are mounted on springs 107 which are mounted on end wall 38.

In order to prevent insertion of the cards in carriage 23 backwards, that is with side edges inserted under clip or clamp Sll, the distance between the top line of embossed printing 29 and top edge 93 of the card is smaller than the distance between the bottom line of embossed printing and the bottom edge of the card 941. Accordingly, if the cards are inserted in carriage 23 backwards, the raised printing lines 29 are not properly positioned to pass beneath reduced diameter sections 71-73 of roller 65 and instead are blocked from passage through the rollers by large diameter sections 67-70.

Large diameter section 67 is provided with the legend mated around its periphery, and large diameter section 76 is provided with a riased scroll work. If it is desired to make a permanent record of the fact that a pair of cards passed through the rollers and thus were determined to be perfectly mated, and also to make a permanent record of the information on the embossed printing of the card, such as the name and number of a hospital patient, a carbon paper sheet 109 and a record paper sheet 1H0 are placed on top of the cards 25, 26 as shown in FIG. 3. Then when the matched cards are passed through rollers 65 and 61, large diameter section 67 prints repeated mated along the bottom edge of record paper sheet I I0 and large diameter section 70 imprints a line of scroll work along the top edge of the record paper sheet 110.

FIG. 4 illustrates a printing font 1111 having printing elements H2 or symbols which nest only with identical elements in the font and do not nest with any other elements of the font.

FIG. 5 illustrates a partial section of a pair of identical conventional embossed cards 1113, 114 having flat tops 115, 11116 and side portions 117, 118 angled sharply downwardly therefrom, thereby creating corner stresses in the plastic material of the cards. Also, note the considerable space between fiat top 116 and fiat top 1115, even though the cards 113 and 114 are matched and are nested. I

FIG. 6 illustrates conventional cards H19, 120 which are mismatched and therefore do not nest.

Because of the poor nesting of identical cards H3, 1114 in FIG. 5, the difference in combined thickness of matched cards H13, H34 and unmatched cards E19, E20

the difference between the combined thickness of matched cards 123, 124 of FIG. 7 and mismatched cards 125, 126 of FIG. 8 is in the range of 0.015 to 0.020 inches, which is more than twice as much as the difference between the matched and mismatched cards of FIGS. 5 and 6. Since the thickness of the plastic sheet forming the cards is 0.0245 inch, it may be realized that the construction of the cards illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 allows the card comparing machine 21 to operate with much larger tolerances.

In operation, the cards to be compared are inserted beneath clip or clamp 51 of carriage 23 and the upper and lower edges 93 and 94 of the cards are seated in recessed lips 49, 50 of the carriage. Then the knob 75 is rotated, causing pinions 59, 60 to move racks 53, 54 so that the matched cards are passed between rollers 65, 61 until end 91 of rack 54 contacts switch 85 after the cards have passed completely through the rollers. Then the knob 75 may be rotated in the opposite direction to return the carriage to its normal position.

If the cards are mismatched, their combined thickness will be so great that they cannot pass between rollers 65 and 61, and this blockage of the passage of the cards indicates that the cards are not identical.

It is to be noted that these cards are placed in the carriage with the raised portions of the embossed printing facing upwards so that they are in back to front face relationship with the front face of the bottom card being in contact with the back face of the top card in the carriage.

The clearance between rollers 61 and 65 is critical and is approximately equal to twice the maximum card thickness plus 0.001 inch. Measurements made on nonmated cards using a conventional font available commercially, such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, show that the difference between the combined thickness of matched and unmatched cards may be 0.008 inch. This difference in combined thicknesses between matched and unmatched cards is greatly increased by using a special font such as that shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

When matched cards travel between the rollers, no large force is exerted against the knob 75. However, when unmatched or mismatched cards try to pass between the rollers, the whole assembly will jam. To prevent damage of the apparatus, unidirectional slip clutch 77 is provided between the shaft 63 of roller 65 and the knob 75. For aesthetic and security reasons, the clutch 77 is housed inside knob 75. When two cards do not match, the resulting jamming causes the clutch 77 to slip. However, the operator can remove the cards by rotating the knob 75 in the opposite direction which is permitted by the unidirectional slipping quality of the clutch.

Instead of utilizing carbon paper sheet 109 and record paper sheet 110, it will be realized that a sheet of pressure-sensitive impact paper may be used.

By use of the carbon paper sheet 109 and record paper sheet 110, or a sheet of impact paper, a copy is made of the embossed legend on the card. This copy is evidence of a mating of the cards. As further proof of the matching, the zig zag scroll work of roller 70 and the repeated mated" of enlarged diameter section 67 are printed along the edges of the record sheet. If the scroll line is interrupted on the record sheet, or if the repeated mated" is interrupted, this is a sign of a mismatch of the cards.

The operation of the machine may be such that the printed form and matched cards are removed from the carriage at the end of its travel near end wall 37, or the knob may be rotated in reverse direction to return the carriage to its normal position next to end wall 38 before the cards are removed.

Turning now to embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, there is shown a card comparing machine 141 which is similar in construction to machine 21 but which detects mismatched cards by sliding them in opposite directions, thus utilizing normal and parallel forces applied to two cards held firmly together one on top of the other. We have proven by tests that when a known force is exerted normal to the surface of two nested cards, the force parallel to the plane of the cards necessary to separate or disengage them, by sliding one with respect to the other, varies by a large factor as between matched cards and mismatched cards.

Card comparing machine 141 includes a sliding carriage 143 that rides in the grooves of guide rails 39.

Carriage 143 includes a seat formed by recessed lips 145-147, and a triangular piece of metal which is welded or otherwise attached to one corner of carriage 143 to form a card seating guide 149 for the bottom card in carrier 143.

Card seating guide 149 is the same thickness as the card and insures that the bottom card is placed in the carriage seat properly because the cut-off comer of the card must be placed next to guide 149.

A hole 151 is formed in guide 149 to admit pin 106 which obstructs passage of carriage 143 unless it is depressed by a top card.

A top roller 153 is mounted on transverse shaft 155, and is preferably made of steel or other metal, and is covered with rubber or an equivalent elastomeric material. A bottom roller 157 is mounted on a transverse shaft 159 and may be constructed of the same materials as top roller 153.

A gear 161 is also mounted on transverse shaft and is in mesh with the teeth of a gear 163 mounted on transverse shaft 159. Upper gear 161 has fewer teeth than of lower gear 163 so that when carrier 143 and a pair of cards are passing through rollers 153 and 157, the lower roller 157 rotates more slowly and drags so as to apply a force to the bottom surface of the lower card which is opposite to the direction of movement of slide carriage 143. If the two cards are identical and are a match, the opposing force exerted by bottom roller 157 is not sufi'icient to separate the two cards. However, if the cards are a mismatch, and therefore do not fully nest together, the opposing force will cause the lower card to slide rearwardly on carriage 143 and strike pivoted trigger arm 165 to rotate stop arm 167 so that it will catch on a stop member 169 to stop the movement of the carriage 143 and prevent the mismatched cards from passing completely through rollers 153, 157. Of course, if the cards are matched perfectly, they both pass through rollers 153 and 157 without separating and without actuating pivot trigger arm 165, and this complete passage of the two cards through the rollers indicates that they are perfectly matched.

When a permanent record is desired, an imprint sheet, or a carbon paper sheet 109 and a record sheet 110 are placed on top of the cards and are run through the rollers with the cards. Raised scroll 171 on roller 153 inprints a continuous scroll on the record sheet as evidence that the two cards passed fully through the rollers and are a match. Also imprinted on the record sheet is the information contained in the embossed printing on the top card, such as name and identification number of a hospital patient.

We claim:

1. In a system for comparing the identity or nonidentity of plural cards having raised characters embossed thereon in a similar predetermined area on the face of the cards, card comparing apparatus comprising means for supporting two such cards in front to back nested relationship, mechanical means adjacent to said supporting means adapted to grip the nested cards to feed the same therepast, and detecting means on said mechanical means to co-act with said raised characters permitting passage of said nested cards therepast when the raised characters are in complete-matching relationship for the entire extent thereof, said detecting means preventing passage of said cards therepast when at least one of said characters on one card is mismatched with the corresponding positioned character on the other card.

2. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical detecting means comprises means for sensing the difference in the combined thickness of matched cards and mismatched cards.

3. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical detecting means comprises means for sliding mismatched cards in opposite directions.

4. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1 including a first card with printing embossed thereon, and a second card with printing embossed thereon, said embossed printing including printing elements from a printing font having printing elements which nest only with identical elements in the font and do not nest with any other elements of the font.

5. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said embossed printing having rounded raised portions permitting closer nesting than embossed printing having raised portions with flat tops and side portions angled away therefrom.

6. The card comparing apparatus of claim 4, said embossed printing having rounded raised portions permitting closer nesting than embossed printing having raised portions with flat tops and side portions angled away therefrom.

7. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said card receiving means including a carriage having a seat for receiving said pair of cards.

8. The card comparing apparatus of claim I, said mechanical detecting means including a pair of rollers spaced apart a distance sufficient to pass a pair of matched cards and to block passage of a pair of mismatched cards.

9. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, including means for printing the embossed printing of matched cards on a sheet of paper to provide a permanent record of the matching and the information of the embossed print.

10. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, including means for signalling that the cards have been compared and found to match.

11. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said mechanical detecting means including a pair of rollers mounted on shafts, and gear means connecting the shafts together so that they rotate at different speeds causing one roller to exert a force on a card opposite to the force exerted by the other roller on the other card, whereby mismatched cards are separated by the rollers. 

1. In a system for comparing the identity or non-identity of plural cards having raised characters embossed thereon in a similar predetermined area on the face of the cards, card comparing apparatus comprising means for supporting two such cards in front to back nested relationship, mechanical means adjacent to said supporting means adapted to grip the nested cards to feed the same therepast, and detecting means on said mechanical means to co-act with said raised characters permitting passage of said nested cards therepast when the raised characters are in complete matching relationship for the entire extent thereof, said detecting means preventing passage of said cards therepast when at least one of said characters on one card is mismatched with the corresponding positioned character on the other card.
 2. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical detecting means comprises means for sensing the difference in the combined thickness of matched cards and mismatched cards.
 3. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical detecting means comprises means for sliding mismatched cards in opposite directions.
 4. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1 including a first card with printing embossed thereon, and a second card with printing embossed thereon, said embossed printing including printing elements from a printing font having printing elements which nest only with identical elements in the font and do not nest with any other elements of the font.
 5. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said embossed printing having rounded raised portions permitting closer nesting than embossed printing having raised portions with flat tops and side portions angled away therefrom.
 6. The card comparing apparatus of claim 4, said embossed printing having rounded raised portions permittinG closer nesting than embossed printing having raised portions with flat tops and side portions angled away therefrom.
 7. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said card receiving means including a carriage having a seat for receiving said pair of cards.
 8. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said mechanical detecting means including a pair of rollers spaced apart a distance sufficient to pass a pair of matched cards and to block passage of a pair of mismatched cards.
 9. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, including means for printing the embossed printing of matched cards on a sheet of paper to provide a permanent record of the matching and the information of the embossed print.
 10. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, including means for signalling that the cards have been compared and found to match.
 11. The card comparing apparatus of claim 1, said mechanical detecting means including a pair of rollers mounted on shafts, and gear means connecting the shafts together so that they rotate at different speeds causing one roller to exert a force on a card opposite to the force exerted by the other roller on the other card, whereby mismatched cards are separated by the rollers. 